


To Bee Miraculous

by TakingOverMidnight3482



Series: Think Outside the Love Square [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Identity Reveal, Kinda, Reveal Fic, malediktator spoilers, pollen is mentioned, post queen bee trilogy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 04:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16319309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482
Summary: Chloe shivered again, tears prickling her eyes, and she pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, the blanket slipping down her shoulders and baring them to the cold of the night air.She was a jerk. A massive, terrible jerk.Ladybug had never been anything but kind to her, and the few times she hadn’t been, Chloe could admit that she was being a bit of a brat and had probably provoked it. Ladybug had saved her, had helped her, had comforted her while she cried that afternoon, and Ladybug was Marinette.





	To Bee Miraculous

**Author's Note:**

> This one has been sitting with me since the end of the Queen Bee trilogy

Despite being the City of Lights, Paris was mostly dark at three in the morning, quiet save for the rustle of the trees in the wind. The air was chilled, autumn looming around the corner, and Chloe shivered against the blanket she had draped around her shoulders. 

She was sitting on her balcony, knees drawn to her chin and eyes perusing the city. If she closed them, she could imagine it again, the sensation of leaping buildings and letting the wind cascade through her fingers and hair, pavement and roof tiles alike solid under her feet. 

She missed it, if she was honest. She had messed up the first time, badly, Chloe knew that. She regretted it, regretted not heading Pollen’s warnings about the secrecy of the miraculous. The tiny bee had explained things to her when she had calmed down, his voice gentle and reassuring. 

And she had ignored the warnings, and now what? 

Was she a target? More than she was already, anyway? Were her parents? Her friends? Or rather, Adrien? Her classmates? 

Chloe sighed, tucking her nose into her knees. 

She missed being a superhero, even if it was brief, but she missed Pollen more. For that one night she had been with him, he had been a companion, someone who was with her not because of proximity but because...because he genuinely seemed to enjoy her company. 

Granted, that might have been because she had his miraculous and she wasn’t really certain on the rules of how they worked, but...still. 

She wanted someone to discuss all of this with. All of what she had learned, the way her stomach curled now and her chest ached when she thought of what she had done. Someone who wouldn’t judge, but would listen. 

That afternoon, as she had been helping Jean...Jean Marc? She couldn’t even remember his name, and he had worked for them for years, what kind of person was she? As Chloe had been helping him clean the balcony of her “lair” items, she had come to a startling realization. 

Pollen was a Kwami, he had told her as much, explained that they gave the powers to their holders. He was small, fluffy, like a cartoon version of a bumblebee. 

Chloe had though he looked familiar, had thought his shape and size and big eyes reminded her of something, but she hadn’t placed it until after the day had settled and she had already handed her box off to Ladybug. 

To Marinette. 

Because that’s who Ladybug was, wasn’t it? The whole situation with Prince Ali, where she had picked up that ladybug doll from the ground, when Marinette had tried to chase her down, panic laced over her features- 

And Chloe had laughed and rolled up the window. 

That doll had been a Kwami, Chloe was certain of it, now that she knew what she knew. And the spots, the red, the color of it’s eyes...there was no way it was Chat Noirs. His would have to be a cat. 

She had stolen Ladybug’s Kwami. 

And Ladybug was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who Chloe had tormented for years, who had fought her for the last year, gained a backbone, who had _saved her life countless times,_ was Ladybug. 

Chloe shivered again, tears prickling her eyes, and she pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, the blanket slipping down her shoulders and baring them to the cold of the night air. 

She was a jerk. A massive, terrible jerk. 

Ladybug had never been anything but kind to her, and the few times she hadn’t been, Chloe could admit that she was being a bit of a brat and had probably provoked it. Ladybug had saved her, had helped her, had comforted her while she cried that afternoon, and Ladybug was Marinette. 

Marinette cared about her, to a degree, and that acknowledgement was like a slap in Chloe’s face. 

She swallowed and pulled out her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she found Marinette’s name. She only had it because of class projects, and now she hesitated over the name, over the call button. 

It was three am, though, she couldn’t. 

Chloe’s lip trembled and she gripped at her blanket, pulling it close again. 

Old her would have blown the secret in a second. But Chloe had seen what that secret being blown could do, knew how powerful Hawkmoth was first hand, how much devastation he could cause. 

If he knew Marinette was Ladybug, what would he do? 

Her parents, sweet people who were kind even to Chloe. Alya and Nino, who didn’t like Chloe at all, but who Chloe knew were good people. She had known Nino since they were kids, and he had tried his best to be her friend for a long time before finally giving up and moving on. Adrien, who had been hanging out with that group more and more. 

Who would go down if Hawkmoth knew, if she told? All of the people she considered friends, all the people that she was starting to realize she genuinely cared about? 

Chloe huffed and forced her thumb down onto the call button, dragging the phone to her ear and listening as it rang several times before Marinette’s voicemail picked up. No surprise there, it was late. 

_“Leave a message at the beep, and I’ll get back to you when I can!”_

Chloe swallowed, shutting her eyes and listening as the beep rang in her ear. For a long moment, she didn’t speak, nerves wracking her whole body. “Sorry, it’s late. I just...wanted to apologize to you. First. For being...so mean to you over the years. You’ve tried so hard to be nice to me, even when I don’t deserve it, and that...that means a lot. So I just-” 

“Chloe?” 

She jolted, a tiny yelp slipping past before she could stop it, as Marinette’s sleepy voice interrupted her. “Marinette?” she squeaked, suddenly confronted with the realization that she was _speaking to her hero._

“It’s three in the morning, is everything okay? Why are you calling _me?”_

Chloe swallowed, at a loss for words. “Um...I was...I was...” 

“Chloe?” 

“Iknowthatyou’reLadybug,” she stammered out, clapping a hand over her mouth the moment the words fell from her lips. “Shoot.” 

“You... _what?”_

Her voice was suddenly much more awake and Chloe managed a nervous chuckle, wrapping her arm around her knees tightly and staring out at the Eiffel Tower in the distance. “I...yeah. I guess that’s not why I called, at first, but...it’s been on my mind all day. So.” 

“Wait, wait, wait, you think I’m Ladybug? That’s ridiculous, Chloe, it’s three am, you’re totally delusional.” 

Before, she might have been mad at the accusation. Now, though, she could see the validity in the statement, might have even believed it, if she hadn’t met the Kwamis, if she couldn’t hear the tremble in Marinette’s words. 

“When Prince Ali came to visit the children’s hospital,” Chloe said, leaning back on her patio chair and shutting her eyes, resigning herself to having this conversation now, “I found your Kwami. You called her yours. And I took her. I didn’t...I didn’t realize what she was until I met Pollen. I’m sorry, I know it’s...I know it’s late.” 

There was a long silence from Marinette’s end, and then a very soft, “Chloe, I...I’m coming over. Is that okay?” 

“Yeah. Surprised you’re not here already. You’re usually on top of that shit,” she chuckled, letting some of her dry voice spill into the comment. 

Marinette hung up and Chloe settled back down again, letting a shaky breath spill out and watching the air puff around her lips. She drew the blanket tight around her shoulders, wishing it covered down to her pajama clad legs, and stared up at the stars, listening to the sound of sirens way in the distance, someone shutting a car door, the hum of the heating system on top of the hotel. 

When Ladybug landed on her balcony, she didn’t blink twice, just glanced up at the girl and nodded to the chaise next to her. 

Ladybug shifted on her feet, looking apprehensive, and perched on the chair like she would flee if even slightly provoked. What she said first startled Chloe more than her appearance. “How long have you been out here?” 

Chloe frowned, her eyebrows wrinkling. “I don’t know...hour or two? Why?” 

Ladybug hesitated, eyes studying her. “Your lips are kind of purple. And your cheeks are really pink. Come inside, Chloe.” 

Chloe shook her head, keeping her gaze on the city skyline. “I don’t want to.” 

“Why?” 

“Just...claustrophobic. I guess. Why do you care?” 

She winced at the bite in the words, and Ladybug flinched back, her brows furrowing and her eyes sparking with annoyance. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly, sitting up and tucking her legs into a crossed position, breathing in relief as the new position provided a little warmth to her frozen limbs. “Sorry, habit. You know you don’t have to...” 

Chloe gestured weakly at Ladybug’s outfit, rolling her wrist as if to imply that she could release transformation. 

Ladybug stiffened again, looking away, and Chloe was astounded at how she couldn’t have seen it before. The pigtails, the eyes, the posture, the figure, the voice. How could everyone in their class not know yet? 

“I...only if you go inside.” 

That got a tiny smile to flicker over Chloe’s face. “Classic Marinette.” 

Ladybug jumped at the sound of her name, something like panic crossing her features, and Chloe rolled her eyes, standing up and pulling her blanket with her. She stumbled a little on her frozen legs, and a soft grip on her elbow had her looking up to find Ladybug there, eyeing her in concern. “Thanks.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ladybug asked as she guided Chloe inside, shutting the door behind them. The warmth of the building curled over Chloe’s body and she sighed, letting the blanket fall onto a chair and crossing over to her mini-fridge. 

“No,” Chloe answered truthfully, grabbing a water bottle and a package of cookies from the top of her fridge, turning back to find Ladybug standing awkwardly at the door. “But it’s fine. I’m sorry to freak you out at this time of the night. Here.” 

She handed over the cookies and Ladybug took them with a baffled look. “Pollen told me your Kwami likes cookies. Chat Noir’s likes cheese, for some reason. Pollen actually hated honey. He likes candy, though.” 

“He-?” 

“Didn’t tell me who you were, Marinette,” Chloe said dryly, not missing the way she flinched again. “Like I said. Figured that out on my own. I’m not stupid, you know.” 

“Spots off.” 

Chloe didn’t look up at the red blur of transformation she could see from the corner of her eyes, staring resolutely at the water bottle, unopened, in her hands. A bare hand settled on her shoulder and she looked up at Marinette, who looked a bit uncomfortable to be standing so openly in her bedroom. 

Her hair was down now, and she was in warm pajamas. Her Kwami hovered in the air behind her, cookie clutched tightly in her little stubs, and Chloe managed a small smile at the bug before Marinette drew her attention back. 

“You’re not stupid, Chloe,” Marinette said, her eyes searching the girl. “I’m sorry if I...” 

“No, I’m sorry,” Chloe interrupted, shoulders slumping. “All those things I said to Ladybug this afternoon, to you, they were all true. I...I don’t know. I didn’t intend to tell you this way, I didn’t. I wasn’t sure if I was going to at all.” 

She hadn’t admitted that even to herself, so to hear it come out so truthfully startled even Chloe. 

Marinette managed a smile. “I’m glad you did. You said...you said your room made you feel claustrophobic? It’s so big.” 

Chloe swallowed, setting her water bottle down and wrapping her arms around herself. “Yeah, but...I don’t know. I don’t know what to think.” 

“I kind of do,” Marinette admitted. “When I first...when I first transformed, with Tikki, a-after my initial freak out, after the threat of Stoneheart was neutralized...everything felt too small. Nothing felt right until I was out on the rooftops again. I know Chat Noir felt the same. I didn’t even think that...that same feeling might apply to you, or-or to Rena, or Carapace...I haven’t even checked on them, shoot.” 

She trailed off, looking troubled, and Chloe shrugged, shooting her a weak smile. ”Why would you? We’ve all only done it once or twice, how would you have known?” 

Marinette pursed her lips and Chloe forged ahead. ”Look, I just...wanted to tell you. I was just going to leave you a message on your phone, apologizing for how I’ve treated you the last...our whole lives. You didn’t have to come over.” 

“I might have even if you hadn’t admitted that you knew,” Marinette said, her voice soft. She guided Chloe to her bed, sitting her down with a gentle push. “People aren’t awake this late unless there’s something on their minds. And you were outside for so long, I...” 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe tried with a teasing tone. “Were you worried about me?” 

Marinette shot her a very warm, very real, somewhat sad smile. “Yeah. I guess I was. What you said this afternoon, it meant a lot. You might not have always been nice to me, but I haven’t always been nice to you either. So I’m sorry for that. And either way, it’s...it’s kinda nice having someone know. Even if it is you.” 

It was said with a joking tone, but Chloe felt her smile drop and her cheeks heat up. “I’m not going to tell anyone,” she assured Marinette. “I learned my lesson, I won’t say a word, I-I can help, I can cover in class or something, you don’t have to worry, I-” 

“Chloe,” Marinette interrupted, setting a hand on the girl’s shoulder to shut her up. “I wouldn’t have trusted you again with the bee miraculous if I didn’t think you couldn’t handle it. You know the risks now. As for class...it might be best if we pretended that nothing’s happened. We weren’t...we weren’t friends before this.” 

Chlloe flinched and Marinette’s nose wrinkled. “You know it’s true.” 

“I know.” 

“That doesn’t mean that can’t change, so long as you can. Change, I mean.” 

Chloe looked up at the girl, feeling like she was being cracked open. “I’m trying,” she whispered, the words practically a whimper. 

“I know,” Marinette promised. “For now, let’s just...we’ll just go on like normal, okay? You know, there’s nothing I can do to change that. That doesn’t mean you have to suddenly pretend to like me.” 

Chloe bit at her lower lip, cutting her protest off, and lowered her gaze, fiddling with her hands in her lap. “Okay.” 

“Did you want to meet Tikki properly?” Marinette asked, like she was trying to relieve some of the palpable tension Chloe could feel in the room. 

Chloe looked up at the Kwami, shooting her a tiny smile. “That’s okay. It’s late. There’ll be other chances to talk, I’m sure. Sorry for unintentionally kidnapping you, Tikki.” 

The bright red Kwami giggled, holding another cookie in her grasp. “I know you didn’t mean to harm me in any way. And you didn’t!” she assured the girl, before promptly downing the cookie in one gulp. 

That was...certainly interesting. 

Marinette stood and moved to Chloe’s balcony, Chloe following silently. “I’ll see you in school later?” Marinette offered, and Chloe could sense the olive branch being stretched between them. 

She took it and smiled. “Yeah. Night, Marinette.” 

“Goodnight, Chloe. Tikki, spots on!” 

When the glare died down, Ladybug stood in front of her again, and Chloe wrapped her arms around herself and gave a tiny wave as the hero threw her yo-yo, waved, the nervous look still in her eyes, and zipped away. 

Chloe sighed, slumping, and looked inside again. She grabbed the blanket from where she had dropped it and settled back into the chaise, shutting her eyes and sinking back into the mental feeling of roof tiles under her feet. 

She wondered, briefly, if she knew Carapace or Rena Rouge. If they did feel the same way. 

Then again, if Marinette was Ladybug and she had chosen Carapace and Rena, surely they were people Chloe and Marinette knew, and- 

And she knew, suddenly. She knew who they were. It didn’t take much, once she knew the identity of Ladybug. 

Of course it was them. 

Chloe wondered if Nino was still opposed to trying to be friends. Alya would take more work, she knew that, but... 

She swallowed back her anxiety, her want, and relaxed to the feeling of the wind fluttering through her loose hair. 

Chloe had never been more willing to put in the work.

**Author's Note:**

> This got longer than I expected it to, rip


End file.
